Interesting points made in previous posts. It is becoming apparent that there is no accident in relation to what JT is about, if I didn't know better he has seen this as probably his last chance to coach an NRL team he saw the opportunity coming at the WTs last year with the way the club was going, examined the roster and devised a coaching direction for the team probably based on his successful experience at the Roosters and his long experience in league (I recall him playing Flegg for Wests many years ago and from memory that team was beaten by Balmain in the GF, he's been involved at the top,level,for,a long time). He delivered his plan to our new Board and has gone about implementing it since. I don't suggest all is perfect there will be ups and downs and he will probably have to adjust as the season progresses but nonetheless he looks to me like a bloke who has seized an opportunity and making the most of it which to this point is benefitting those around him especially when compared to where we have been in the past.

Flippedy wrote:If we become a boring side that wins more games than it loses and has the best defence in the NRL, I think I can cop that - would be a nice change from the 'exciting' ad lib plays that rarely came off and the tissue paper defence of previous years.

GNR4LIFE wrote:Tbf, i don't think the weather helped today, that definitely contributed to the game being a bore fest. We've been in every game so far, including games against last yrs gf's, one of which we should have won. I just hope that tactic of mid field bombs was a horses for courses tactic. Idk how Moses and Brooks will develop if all they're doing is mid field bombs for 90% of the game. They need to kick to corners, and if they can't do that, Farah needs to take the initiative and do it himself.

What made the game a borefest was the referees inability to monitor the 10m. It was short and pushed to the extreme boundaries by both teams (more so the eels of course).

Our halves had no space and no attacking play was able to unfold as a result. Our forwards were also less effective as a result.

It was an eels tactic of course to stop us getting a roll on, the refs did the game no favour what so ever.

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The Refs also let the Eels stay on us for too long. Slowing the play of the ball...

MacDougall wrote:It's interesting that people criticise the bombs. Pretty sure two times we didn't bomb it that Parramatta made line breaks on the kick return.

Well two things:

1) if you can't kick on the ground and do a decent chase, what sort of footy side are you?

2) 100% one of Parra's first line breaks came off a bomb, their new winger outleapt and ran off downfield, Moses reeled him in.

100% correct on both counts.

WT website stats have Parra kick return metres ahead of ours, that is directly related to the quality of the kick and the chase. It will definitely hurt us if not addressed.

At least 3 times Teddy was a whisker from going long on our kick return

2 of Parra back three are far bigger than our back three

It's still largely about our chase though, it has not been enthusiastic at all. That, more than the power or size of the Parra kick return handed them metres.

If the kick is amazing (not many of ours have been) the numbers in the chase is not as important, but when it's a lame one (many of ours have been) your chase needs to be in order. And plenty of times it has been lazy, slow and resulted in a poorly set defensive line.